The Disneyland Book of Secrets 2014: One Local's Unauthorized, Rapturous and Indispensable Guide to the Happiest Places on Earth (12 page)

Paradise Pier Hotel

The least expensive hotel at the
Disneyland Resort
, and seemingly the farthest from the park entrances, this is a solid choice for Guests who want to stay on property while sticking to their budget.  Geared toward families, the hotel offers fun décor with a lot of ocean, beach, and
Disney
character touches.  In the lobby stands a larger-than-life statue of
Goofy
holding a surfboard; kids and adults alike will want to pose here for a photo for the family memory book.  Hotel amenities include a small video arcade, a fitness room, and a compact but imaginatively rendered TV room for kids, where little ones sit in pint-sized beach chairs and watch a television housed in a giant sandcastle.  There’s a stunning view through the glass atrium of the lobby, and impressive views of
DCA Park
from upper-level rooms.  The hotel’s
PCH Grill
offers the
Surf’s Up! Breakfast with Mickey & Friends
character breakfast, perfect for the kids and the
Disney character
fans in your group.  The rooftop pool was expanded in recent years, and features an adjacent waterslide (aptly named
California Streamin’
), designed to look like an old-fashioned wooden roller coaster.  Guests with park-facing, upper-level rooms enjoy fabulous views of
DCA
’s new nighttime extravaganza, the
World of Color
show at
Paradise Pier
.  I wouldn’t discourage anyone from staying at the
Paradise Pier Hotel
, even though it’s the “budget” choice.  There are big handfuls of
pixie dust
here–a lot more than you’d expect for the price!  Look for
Hidden Mickeys
everywhere–in the fanciful blue carpets, wooden surfboard accents on the floor lamps, and even on some of the lampshades.  Even standard rooms are comfortably appointed, and in this small venue the friendly Cast Members can give Guests special attention–just watch how fast your room service meals arrive (and don’t forget to order the tender, savory grilled chicken breast, and the richly decadent red velvet cake)! 
Paradise Pier Hotel
has a gift shop and restaurants, including a snack shop that’s part bar and café, serving up an outstanding breakfast flat bread sandwich and divine blended mocha drinks, and
PCH Grill
’s character dining; these venues serve all price points.  A 15-minute stroll through
Downtown Disney
brings you to the
Disneyland
park entrance, or board the
Monorail
at the station near the hotel for a quick ride to the
Tomorrowland
region of
Disneyland
. The fastest way into the parks is to cross
Disneyland Drive
and cut through the beautiful
Grand Californian
;
Paradise Pier Hotel Guests
are allowed to use the
Grand Californian
’s private entrance into
Disney California Adventure
, a walk of about 10 minutes–just present your room key card at the entrance.  Be sure to book well in advance for stays during spring break, the summer, or the holiday season.  Room rates for this family-friendly hotel vary based on season, vacation packages, special promotions, discounts, and the amenities selected.  This is the resort’s most economical hotel, although rates have risen in the wake of
DCA
’s renovations.  Special views and concierge services are available for additional fees. Concierge Guests have access to the 2
nd
-floor
Beach Comber Club
, where complimentary beverages, snacks, Disney DVDs, and concierge services are available from 6 am to 8 pm daily.
Annual Passholders
receive a discount on hotel stays.  If your budget is tight, consider visiting during weekdays and/or off season, and consult your travel agent or contact a
Disney Vacation Planner
for the best possible rates.  Staying on property adds extra
magic
to your visit, and provides special perks like early entrance to
Disneyland
and
DCA Parks
on selected days, package delivery and pick-ups, free
Disney Channel
in the rooms, etc. 
Did You Know?
 
Paradise Pier Hotel
is named for its proximity to the
Paradise Pier
section of
Disney California Adventure Park
.  The hotel was originally owned and operated as the non-
Disney
Emerald Hotel
and
Pan Pacific Hotel
. 
Disney
purchased it in 1995, and the
Paradise Pier
name-change was made in 2001 when
DCA Park
opened. 
Did You Also Know?
 
Paradise Pier Hotel
offers room service
only
for breakfast and supper.  Guests who want lunch should visit the lobby restaurants,
Downtown Disney
, or the parks.
Laundry Vision
: 
Paradise Pier Hotel
offers laundry services for a fee,
but
there is not an onsite laundry room for Guest use.  To wash your own clothes (if, for example, you are staying more than a week), you have to hike over to the nearby
Disneyland Hotel
and use its Guest Laundry Room.
Elevator Vision:
  The glass elevator that zips you from the lobby up to your room is delightful.  But, when checking out, remember that
Paradise Pier Hotel
only has three descending elevators.  Around 10 am, when Guests on the higher concierge levels depart with their mountains of luggage, elevators get jammed and Guests on lower levels (floor eleven and lower) can wait half an hour for an empty elevator!  Check out early or take the stairs–or, if you can swing it, stay on one of the top levels. Note:  Concierge Guests on levels 14 and 15 can use the glass elevator to descend as well as ascend. 
Teen’s Eye View:
  Very comfortable and relaxing hotel. 
Beach Comber Club
is awesome.
Paradise Pier Hotel
website:
www.disneyland.disney.go.com/paradise-pier-hotel/
.
 
Hotel
Reservations:
  (714) 956-MICKEY. 
Address:
  1717 S. Disneyland Drive, Anaheim, CA  92802.

Downtown Disney

Open to the public,
Downtown Disney
is a fun destination for everyone and charges no entrance fee.  It is adjacent to all of the
Disneyland Resort
hotels.  Festive, eclectic architecture and a variety of water features are the dominant motifs.  Stretching from the
Disneyland Hotel
to the park entrances, as of this writing
Downtown Disney
highlights include
Earl of Sandwich
(the eatery that replaced
Compass Books
), a multiplex
AMC
movie theater,
ESPN Sports Zone
(not to be missed for sports and videogame enthusiasts),
Rainforest Café
,
House of Blues
,
Ralph Brennan’s Jazz Kitchen
,
Build-a-Bear Workshop
,
Little Mismatched
,
Wetzel’s Pretzels
,
Jamba Juice
,
Quiksilver
,
La Brea Bakery
, and one of the largest
World of Disney
stores on the planet.
D Street
sells
Disney
-inspired urban art, clothes, and collectibles, including
Vinylmation
products; it’s
Disney
with a modern, edgier flavor.  The fabulous
WonderGround Gallery
sells
Disney
-inspired art.  There’s a white-and-pink-striped candy shop,
Marceline’s Confectionery
, that sells intoxicatingly delicious treats; the name is a nod to
Walt
’s favorite childhood hometown,
Marceline, Missouri
.  And there’s the
Red Chapter
kiosk, selling locally designed, beyond-cool T-shirts and jackets with artistic and inspiring ambigram designs.  In other words, whether you want an ice cream, bag of kettle corn, cocktail or fancy meal, a pair of sunglasses, a box of chocolates, a
Goofy
hat, a new outfit, a movie, a blues concert, a work of art, or the latest LA Dodger’s scores, you’re in luck.  At night the trees are lit with faery lights, particularly colorful and vibrant at the holidays, and lively music (whether from ambient speakers or street performers) fills the air day and night. You never know who’ll be entertaining you on this winding, contemporary
Main Street
.  Typical street performers include guitarists, percussionists, violinists, and Latin bands, and from time to time
Disney
superstars play busker; on February 2, 2010, for example,
Nick Jonas
appeared at
Downtown Disney
in the evening hours, treating Guests to an impromptu concert.  If you already have your
Disneyland Park
ticket or pass, you can board the
Monorail
at the station near the
AMC Theaters
for a rapid ride to
Tomorrowland
.
Downtown Disney
hours vary by location.
Downtown Disney
is a pedestrian promenade, no vehicles are allowed on site, but adjacent parking is free for three hours without validation, or five hours with validation.
Did You Know?
  For the best bacon in the world, crisp but tender and savory, hit
La Brea Bakery
before 11am. For the best mac ‘n cheese, creamy and velvet-smooth, but with bite, hit
La Brea Bakery
in the afternoon or evening.
Did You Also Know?
  Many
Downtown Disney
vendors provide discounts to
Annual Passholders
.  Present your pass at point of purchase to see if you can save some pennies.
Holiday Vision:
  In recent years,
Downtown Disney
has begun hosting special holiday celebrations, like Oktoberfest, and they set up a mini ice skating rink during the winter.
Teen’s Eye View:
  I love
Downtown Disney
.  They have a bunch of cool shops, and I love to eat at
La Brea Bakery
–it has excellent food.   
Downtown Disney
website:
http://disneyland.disney.go.com/downtown-disney
. 
Dining Reservations:
  (714) 781-DINE or
[email protected]
.

Park Entrances Area – Quick Overview

It’s time to go to the parks!

And w
hether you arrive via the
Downtown Disney
district (where the
Disneyland Resort
hotels are located, where most Guests who drive to the resort are deposited by tram, and where those who arrive by taxi are deposited), or from
Harbor Boulevard
(where many off-property hotels are located, and where most shuttles deposit Guests), as you approach the parks, you know
immediately
that you’re about to leave the hum-drum, every-day world far behind you.

Guests
who checked into one of the resort hotels, or who parked at the
Mickey & Friends Parking Structure
or adjacent
Pinocchio Lot
have already received a taste of the resort’s
magic
.  They’ve already encountered friendly Cast Members, and the fragrant flowers and plants that give even parking areas a special charm.  They’ve also had a taste of how organized
Disneyland
is, and how
Disneyland
makes it fun to navigate the environment.  The
Mickey & Friends Parking Structure
, for example, displays pictures of
Disney
characters that correspond to each parking level.

When you reach the
theme park entrance area, you’re swept into a flow of arriving Guests.  Most of them will be smiling.  Guests tend to wear casual vacation clothes, many adorned with the images of
Mickey
,
Minnie
,
Goofy
,
Grumpy
,
Tinker Bell
, and other iconic
Disney
characters.